Sunday, December 25, 2011

This frothy, little number almost ended up in the trash, as I could not figure out the instructions, but could not bear to toss away what little I had tatted. I had wanted to tackle it all through the year, and so finally got down to it.

There may very well be a few mistakes in the instructions, so I tatted this the way that worked for me, after many tries at the directions as they are written.

Once again, my bullish nature ran roughshod over frustration, and you see the result. I am glad I am stubborn; sometimes there is an unexpected beautiful result that originated with ferociously obsessive wilfulness!

There are actually three different beads in the piece, but you can barely see the small, clear, slightly violet-tinged ones that link the rings that join the onion rings. There are JK's instead of rings at the top and I used #30 Cébélia thread.

Really, I am not one for these frilly-for-the bride sort of designs, but it is good for me to tat one from time to time for practice and a good challenge.

Now for a good yoke -

of them in fact! Have you ever had THIS happen to you! I was amazed when I cracked my dinner into the pan!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Regal by Frivole is a lovely pattern, is it not? And the thread is a great colour-way, though I mixed it with plain Milford violet, as I just could not envision the entire piece done in the variegated. This would have looked so much better in a single colour.

The blue Swarovski crystals have been with me for over a year; I was just waiting for the right opportunity.

This thread is Lola, #40, by Yarnplayer - a gift to me from my friend Suneeti, who has spoiled me with some lovely tatting goodies lately. More about that in the next tattings...

Sunday, December 18, 2011

'Wheel of Nine Rings' from Christmas Angels and Other Tattings by Monica Hahn

I have always liked this pattern.

I have only tatted it once before, here, and I am posting a photo of that motif, to show you how I have improved my tatting techniques since I did that one two years ago.

This time I found the pattern to be not difficult at all, and did not even have to un-tat. (very much!)

I am convinced that when I hold the Maple shuttle Tatting Fool sent me, which I treasure, I have Houdini digits!

Having some thread remaining on some bobbins, I decided that since I was on a winning streak, I would use up that thread, which I loaded onto the Maple and another post shuttle, and then tat two motifs.

The threads are different sizes; the pink is #80 and the blue, #40, so I was taking a chance to begin with. But, I was driven! All because Tatting Fool posted her version yesterday and I was jealous!

She had seen mine, here, and tatted hers, liking the JK's that I used. Mine was appalling, as I had experienced a lot of difficult with the pattern, as is obvious from the photo.

So inspired, I tatted this one and changed the centre this time, adding the picots. I must admit that it was initially a mistake, but I liked the effect of the picots, so I left them.

FINALLY, I am happy with the result of this pattern.

Thank you, Tatting Fool!

pattern by Julie Patterson

There was still thread on the shuttles,

so I pulled out a Mary Konior book, saw this photo:

and tatted this. Interestingly, I could not follow the second half of the instructions as written, so I gave the reins over to Maple and just tatted what I saw, trusting that the shuttle was going in the right direction. It was!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Some of Suneeti's #50 Altan Basak looks good in this design by Karey Solomon. It is one of my all-time favourite patterns. Tatted in combination with #20 Lizbeth.

Being sparse with the beads, though the brand new ones beckon me each time I begin a new motif, I believe my tatting is looking more refined, as I am concentrating more on the individual stitch as I tat, not being so driven to complete a pattern quickly. The attention to tension is paying off. Bit by bit...

Thursday, December 15, 2011

In the midst of dragon-avoidance I tatted this motif which looks so simple, but it actually takes some concentration to gat all those rings jammed together properly! Tatted in Milford #40. Thanks, Suneeti and Typstatting!

The dragons got finished, but then what? The pink one was much too fragile for The Boss's delicate, though decidedly five-year-old grip, so I decided to do this:

The kids can do with them as they wish. Gray might put his in one of his dump trucks...

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

With apologies to AnneB, who designed the dragon patterns we all admire, I admit defeat in this case:

The vintage thread keeps breaking - I think it is just too dry to tat with and I am having so many problems with the wings to begin with.

So, I shall put this aside (I have no other pink #80) till I feel in the mood to use some #80 DMC for the wing in a different colour. Maybe sooner rather than later as this little dragon looks so naked without his wings! Maybe red and white ones... Yes, maybe that will suffice.

If I do not resolve this, I will have to face the wrath of The Boss...

Saturday, December 10, 2011

This is a Susanne Schwenke pattern from one of the two books of hers that I bought, having been so inspired by umintsuru.

I loved how hers turned out, and wanted to tat the patterns myself. Till today, I have had hideous problems with the unusual directional instructions, once emailing umuntsuru late into the night, desperate for help - which she graciously and very quickly delivered!

This pattern is more complicated than others in the books that I have attempted, and I followed it very, very slowly, methodically et voilá!

Interestingly, I had to undo the last repeat and finger tat the last few rings and chains, because I had already cut the thread. No problemo!

Also, I have discovered that I have been doing something wrong since the very beginning of tatting life. When you tat in a bubble all alone, you do not realize what others might see right away if they were there to notice.

I have always tatted f/s and b/s. When tatting on the front, I pull downward through the picots, but I have been twisting the thread because I was holding the pulled-up loop in the wrong place, causing a twist every time! I saw this very clearly after 3 years, in this motif!

Afterthought: I did change the pattern in one place. Instead of a tiny ring of 5 ds, I tatted 10 JKs.

I found this an incredibly frustrating pattern to tat, because of the directional changes throughout. Therefore, there are mistakes everywhere in the front/back stitching.

I realize I really do not enjoy patterns that represent things like animals or angels - tatting that requires parts to make up the whole. For me, they are fiddly rather than challenging, and I get tense and grumpy tatting them. Not a pretty sight. Poor Gian...

Floral, leaf, heart or mandala-like motifs make me easier to live with.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Single shuttle split ring or plain, old, ordinary split ring. Hmmm what will it be?

Before tackling the Dragon pattern by AnneB, I figured I had better practice the SSSR, which I always forget how to tat. I suppose I never really use it much. Sort of like the split chain, which I did use on the last snowflake.

However, this time I suddenly realized the split chain no longer terrifies me! I have made finally, finally befriended it. I could not even find it in the photo when I looked at the post of that snowflake! Yah!

Alas, no such good feeling exists yet between me and the SSSR. I can tat them, but I am not comfortable with them, so I went with the SR.

In this pattern, you are instructed to use two shuttles anyway, after the initial one for the tail, so it makes sense to me to just start off with the two. Points for giving it a good shot, though!

Don't you just love that DMC #80 Red for a dragon? I think it is the perfect thread for a small version of one member Anne B's illustrious Dragon Den.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

...I do not believe in forcing tatted lace to assume a specific shape in blocking. Lace knitting is a different story: wet it, pull it, pin it within an inch of its life. That is what is required to show off its beauty. Tatting is not the same. If the piece is tatted right, it should be the right shape to begin with – barring the bit of wayward ripple or ruffle. So, I don’t pull and pin: just a shot of damp pressing (cold or hot).

...Every tatting design should be totally ‘right’ when finished without any ‘bullying’. If it is worked with the same tension on both rings and chains then that should be the end result.

I agree with this, and as Tatting Fool and umintsuru both well know, I neither use pins, ever, nor do I conventionally block my work. Just wet and press it, sort of coaxing it into shape before I pile on the weight. Then I let it dry. Easy.

Perhaps lazy? No, just not my tatting philosophy. Not everybody's cuppa, but I am comfortable with this approach.

Sometimes my tatting is off-kilter. Who am I kidding? It is usually very lopsided and 'symmetrical' rarely appears in my tatting lexicon!

Not today! This is a first. This piece has been neither watered nor weighted! Straight off the shuttles!

#27-100 Motif Challenge

This is Sharon Brigg's 'Phantom Star,' from Tatted Flurries.
What a great pattern!